US2006066656A1PendingUtilityA1

Method for reducing dot placement errors in imaging apparatus

34
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Sep 28, 2004Filed: Sep 28, 2004Published: Mar 30, 2006
Est. expirySep 28, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Colin Maher
B41J 29/393
34
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A method for reducing dot placement errors in an imaging apparatus includes printing with a printhead having a plurality of nozzles a plurality of printhead alignment patterns, each printhead alignment pattern being printed at a different predefined printhead firing frequency of a plurality of printhead firing frequencies; and determining a set of printhead specific compensation values for each of the plurality of printhead firing frequencies for use in printhead alignment.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method for reducing dot placement errors in an imaging apparatus, comprising: 
 printing with a printhead having a plurality of nozzles a plurality of printhead alignment patterns, each printhead alignment pattern being printed at a different predefined printhead firing frequency of a plurality of printhead firing frequencies; and    determining a set of printhead specific compensation values for each of said plurality of printhead firing frequencies for use in printhead alignment.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing said set of printhead specific compensation values in a printhead memory associated with said printhead.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing said set of printhead specific compensation values in a memory associated with said imaging apparatus.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting a printhead specific compensation value from said set of printhead specific compensation values corresponding to a firing frequency associated with printing an image with said imaging apparatus to effect printhead alignment at said firing frequency associated with printing said image.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said printhead specific compensation value is selected based on said firing frequency that is associated with a particular printing mode of a plurality of printing modes.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said particular printing mode is a multi-pass printing mode having an actual firing frequency that is lower than a maximum firing frequency of said printhead.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 determining a firing frequency associated with a particular printing swath; and    selecting for said particular printing swath said printhead specific compensation value based on said firing frequency associated with said particular printing swath.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 determining a firing frequency associated with image data for each nozzle of said plurality of nozzles of said printhead; and    selecting for said each nozzle said printhead specific compensation value based on said firing frequency associated with said image data.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said different predefined printhead firing frequency used in printing each of said plurality of printhead alignment patterns is achieved by changing a horizontal printing resolution for each of said plurality of printhead alignment patterns while maintaining a constant carrier velocity.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said different predefined printhead firing frequency used in printing each of said plurality of printhead alignment patterns is achieved by changing a carrier velocity for each of said plurality of printhead alignment patterns and adjusting a firing rate of said printhead.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein each of said plurality of printhead alignment patterns is printed to create a full fill pattern.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said different predefined printhead firing frequency used in printing each of said plurality of printhead alignment patterns is achieved by using multiple printing passes in a shingling fashion to create a full fill pattern.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of nozzles represent a plurality of nozzle arrays, said method determining a corresponding set of printhead specific compensation values for each said nozzle array of said plurality of nozzle arrays.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said plurality of nozzle arrays represents at least two color ink arrays.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said set of printhead specific compensation values is associated with a particular ink color.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said set of printhead specific compensation values is associated with a particular ink type.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said particular ink type is one of a dye based ink and a pigment based ink.  
   
   
       18 . A method for reducing dot placement errors in an imaging apparatus, comprising: 
 providing a set of printhead specific compensation values for a printhead having a plurality of nozzles, each printhead specific compensation value in said set being associated with a respective printhead firing frequency of a plurality of printhead firing frequencies; and    selecting a printhead specific compensation value from said set of printhead specific compensation values corresponding to a firing frequency associated with printing an image with said imaging apparatus to effect printhead alignment at said firing frequency associated with printing said image.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said printhead specific compensation value is selected based on said firing frequency that is associated with a particular printing mode of a plurality of printing modes.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said particular printing mode is a multi-pass printing mode having an actual firing frequency that is lower than a maximum firing frequency of said printhead.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 determining a firing frequency associated with a particular printing swath; and    selecting for said particular printing swath said printhead specific compensation value based on said firing frequency associated with said particular printing swath.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 determining a firing frequency associated with image data for each nozzle of said plurality of nozzles of said printhead; and    selecting for said each nozzle said printhead specific compensation value based on said firing frequency associated with said image data.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising storing said set of printhead specific compensation values in a printhead memory associated with said printhead.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising storing said set of printhead specific compensation values in a memory associated with said imaging apparatus.

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